On Monday, President Donald Trump told reporters he's been taking hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug he's touted as a possible treatment for COVID-19. Trump said he asked the White House doctor if he could take the unproven treatment despite having no symptoms, adding he's been taking a pill a day for about a week-and-a-half. "I'm still fine," he said, referring to possible dangerous side effects.
The president said he's received "a lot of positive letters" offering good feedback of hydroxychloroquine and insisted even if it's not effective, he claimed, "You're not going to get sick or die." When surprised reporters asked if he were taking it because he's exhibited symptoms, the president replied, "Zero symptoms." He added, "I take a pill every day. At some point, I'll stop. What I’d like to do is I'd like to have the cure and/or the vaccine. And that will happen, I think, very soon," he added.
The FDA last month specifically warned against taking hydroxychloroquine "outside of a hospital setting or a clinical trial due to risk of heart rhythm problems." They also warned of serious side effects of the drug currently unapproved to treat COVID-19, though touted by the White House.
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